METAIRIE – As the New Orleans Saints transition into the offseason after limping to a disappointing 7-9 finish, head coach Sean Payton said Monday it “wasn’t the appropriate time” to address specific changes to either the coaching staff or the roster.

Any changes, he said, would come after the Saints’ brain trust, which includes he and general manager Mickey Loomis, had an opportunity to closely scrutinize “every element of the program.”

But changes, they are a’coming, he said, just not yet.

“Obviously we find ourselves in that position where there’s frustration, there’s disappointment, especially with the postseason beginning — it stinks not being involved,” he said.

“There’s gonna be change, though. We’re not just gonna patch a few holes here and throw the ball out there next year. There’s gonna be some things we look closely at, and that’s part of the deal.”

Prior to making any changes at any level, though, Payton said it’s critical to ask, “Are we just changing to change?”

When asked directly about his confidence in Ryan’s ability to repair the defense that finished ranked 31st overall and substantially regressed after last season’s meteoric rise to fourth, Payton fired back.

“I didn’t mention anything about Rob Ryan,” he said forcefully. “I didn’t mention anything about a specific coach. And so I’ll say this again, just so you’re clear. Now is not the time for us to discuss a player, a coach or his future. It’s not.”

Payton then insisted, “With that being said, you really can’t take my answer as such and draw a conclusion from it.”

He said a key element of the evaluation process will include “being brutally honest in a number of areas,” among those a thorough examination of the roster, the process by which it’s constructed and the coaches tasked with teaching its members.

Payton is convinced the Saints have “the right people making (those) decisions and fortunately I’m one of them,” he quipped.

Quarterback Drew Brees doesn’t expect wholesale changes to the roster, as he believes the Saints have typically been on the lower end of the spectrum in that regard. What’s more likely, he said, is that the Saints continue to build around its core group of players.

“But every year there’s turnover, 20 to 30 percent,” Brees said. “You know, that’s just kind of the way the league is.”

The franchise quarterback also reaffirmed his confidence in Payton’s ability to identify and address the areas of paramount importance to future success — not from a personnel standpoint, Brees said, but as it relates to approach and preparation.

The organization’s long-term goal, Payton said, has always been — and will continue to be — “to build a sustainable program that wins year in and year out.”

“I’m anxious to get started on it,” he said. “And again, nothing we do is going to be with the idea that we have to win next year. It’s going to be what’s best for the future of this organization. I think when you making those decisions you’re generally doing the right thing.”

Payton scoffed at the notion the team had gone “all-in” this past season, calling it a “mythical term.”

“We don’t have chips and there’s no poker room,” he said. “It’s about winning games and being consistent in doing that. I think the stability that we’ve had both from an ownership, general manager, head coach, those are the things that give you a chance -- they don’t guarantee it, but they give you a chance.

“As you look around the league, there are places that are dysfunctional and every two or three years they find themselves back to square one. And so being functional is something that you just cant take for granted. It requires a lot of work and attention to detail, and that’s where we’re at.”